Rohan Varma (ACS #9) scoring the winning goal for Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) from the penalty spot. (Photo 1 © Stefanus Ian/Red Sports)
NorthLight School, Thursday, February 16, 2017 — Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (ACSI) came from behind twice to beat Fairfield Methodist School (Secondary) (FMS) 3-2, but the result was not enough to push them through to the next round.
A brace by Rohan Varma (ACSI #9) and one long-range goal by Desmukh Druv Rajan (ACSI #15) helped ACSI to finish their South Zone C Division Football Championship Group A campaign with an exciting victory.
“It was a good comeback definitely, we started off on the wrong foot but we played together and came together to clinch the victory,” said ACSI captain Benjamin Yeow, 13.
The game, however, started with Fairfield on the front foot. Akmal Daniel (FMS #12) and Elson Chan (#11) were providing the spark up front and giving a lot of problems to the ACSI defence line.
The Fairfield coach said his team missed the presence of their captain Om Apurva (FMS #10) through injury. But at the start of the game, the other players seemed to step up to the occasion and it was not long before they opened their scoring.
In the eighth minute, Lee Hayden (FMS #18) put the boys in white in front scoring with a header following a corner from the left. But the lead did not last for long.
Four minutes later, Deshmukh Druv powered a volley from way outside the box towards the top right-hand corner. Goalkeeper Mohd Shafiq (FMS#1) did his best to reach the shot but could only haplessly palm it into the goal.
The equaliser shook Fairfield and galvanised the boys in yellow although the score remained level as the referee blew for halftime.
After the break, Fairfield were again quickest off the blocks, taking the lead again after just two minutes. Julian Lee (FMS #23) easily scored against Acton Lim (ACS #1) in a one-on-one after being put through.
Fairfield could have killed off the game and made it 3-1 with another goal one minute later, but Acton made two quick saves in succession to keep ACSI in the game. The blocks proved crucial as ACSI scored two late goals to turn the game around.
A pinpoint shot by Rohan Varma from the edge of the box left Mohd Shafiq with no chance as it went in off the post in the 46th minute.
The final goal then came four minutes before the end of the match when Fairfield conceded a penalty and Rohan stepped up to the spot to get his second goal.
The 13-year-old had to retake the penalty after one of the Fairfield defenders moved too early but he made no mistake, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
But with NorthLight School thrashing Beatty Secondary School 6-0, both ACSI and Fairfield were unable to qualify for the next round.
Fairfield coach Lionel Chan said his charges were disappointed after the game.
“I think (the boys) are pretty disappointed, but saying that, I think they played well,” said Chan, 51.
“We just let it slip.”
With this result, the two teams that will advance from Group A are NorthLight School and Serangoon Garden Secondary School.
Score by Half
FMS vs ACS
1st Half: 1-1
2nd Half: 1-2
Full-time: 2-3
Scorers
FMS
Lee Hayden (FMS #18) – 1 goal
Julian Lee (FMS #23) – 1 goal
ACS
Deshmukh Dhruv Rajan (ACS #15) – 1 goal
Rohan Varma (ACS #9) – 2 goals
Anglo-Chinese School Roster
Acton Lim (#1), Solomon Wilson (#2), Then Shan (#3), Ramanathan Annamalai (#4), Benjamin Yeow (#5), Foo Chuan Wee (#6), Fahy Admir (#7), Reuben Wong (#8), Rohan Varma (#9), Danish SIregar (#10), Allen Lou (#11), Lucas Law (#12), Zachary Chia (#13), Haik Jun Ming (#14), Deshmukh Dhruv Rajan (#15), Amir Hyder (#17), Joshua Lee (#18), Isaac Khoo (#19), Jacob Louie von Freiesleben (#20)
FMS Roster
Mohd Shafiq B Abdul Razak (#1), Michael Suren Vendargon (#4), Kendrick Tan Choon Kiat (#6), Pua Xuan Lin (#7), Cai Liuming, Daniel (#8), Ethan Jared Chong Rui Zhi (#9), Om Apurva Lawale (#10), Elson Chan Han Chong (#11), Akmal Daniel V Jumahat (#12), Peh Kim Sen, Ryan (#13), Joshua Yip Kai Jie (#14), Devan Shagar (#15), Tan Yoong Sheng, Camlin (#16), Wong Yong-Cheng (#17), Lee Hayden (#18), Liam George Adrien (#19), Jerek Chia (#20), Jordan Gu Xin Ern (#21), Ethan Tan (#22), Julian Lee (#23)
South Zone C Division Football Championship – fixtures and results
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